The Ohio principal who tried to bar cops from getting into her college to research a bomb risk final month has a historical past of hostility in the direction of the cops, The Publish has realized.
Newly launched bodycam footage exhibits Ridgeview Center Faculty Principal Natalie James and her secretary arguing with two on-duty Columbus cops responding to a scholar’s hoax bomb risk — after telling them they couldn’t enter the constructing with out the varsity’s safety officer current.
The incident, which occurred on March 17, is simply the newest dust-up between James and Columbus Division of Law enforcement officials, the native police union president informed The Publish.
Brian Metal, President of the Capital Metropolis Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9, informed The Publish in an interview that James has “implicit bias and disdain for legislation enforcement,” and a historical past of interfering with police enterprise.
“This has been happening for years with this one principal, who has an ongoing sample of hindering legislation enforcement,” Metal stated, citing “upwards of a dozen” incidents between James and Columbus cops.
Metal says he’s been fielding calls from Ridgeview dad and mom outraged over James’ conduct.
James Diorio is the mum or dad of a sixth grade son at Ridgeview Center Faculty. He known as James’ interplay with the cops “shameful,” however wasn’t shocked at what he noticed.
“She exhibits no respect to anybody,” Diorio informed The Publish. “The principal at that college is just about a czar — she makes her personal guidelines, and her opinion is the one one which counts.”
Officer Keith Conner, who responded to the March 17 incident at Ridgeview, expressed the same sentiment after leaving the varsity that day.
“She is totally essentially the most uncooperative person who I’ve ever handled in a college system,” Conner is heard saying on the bodycam footage.
That adopted an almost 10 minute argument with James and the secretary, through which each insisted that college protocol precluded the officers from getting into with out the varsity safety officer.
“What we’ve been informed by the district is that the police can’t simply go all around the constructing and do no matter you need to do,” James informed the 2 officers on the scene, earlier than including that she felt threatened by them.
“I don’t have any hate towards the police, however all of of this escalated-ness and so forth and so forth, I don’t really feel secure, I don’t really feel snug,” she stated.
Officer Conner repeatedly defined that legislation enforcement has authority over college security and safety officers, and shouldn’t have to attend for permission to answer an emergency.
“For some motive, you don’t just like the police and also you need to make issues so tough for us that we don’t need to come to your college,” Conner stated to James within the recording.
“I don’t know what in your life occurred that you simply hate us a lot that you simply don’t need to cooperate.”
Finally the 2 officers left the varsity with out making contact with the coed answerable for the hoax.
The incident is presently below investigation with the Metropolis of Columbus Division of the Inspector Normal, which declined to touch upon the matter, which is below energetic evaluate.
Metal says he reached out to Columbus Metropolis Faculties Superintendent Angela Chapman to make clear the district’s protocol relating to cops conducting official enterprise on college premises, and he or she assured him she is wanting into the problem.
“What she did was unlawful. You’ll be able to’t make a coverage that trumps state and native legislation,” Metal informed The Publish. “That’s not how that works.”
Columbus Metropolis Faculties spokesman Mike DeFabbo informed The Publish that Dr. Chapman and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant each reviewed and mentioned the footage and could have a gathering with each of their management groups “to bolster commitments and expectations.”
“I made it clear to the chief of police that any motion to self-discipline [Conner] is not going to be tolerated,” Metal stated. “Our officer did nothing improper.”
The Columbus Division of Police declined The Publish’s request to interview the officers concerned.
Franklin County court docket information present James was arrested in 2022 for home violence and assault. The costs have been later dismissed.
James didn’t return The Publish’s request for remark.
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